Folding top for vehicles.



J. M. SHARRBR. FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1913.

1,086,733. Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

citizen of proved top unfolded or extended in 522003 SHARRER, 0F NEW (IQEIPANY, INQ, OF NEW YGEK, H. Y., ASSIGNOR YQRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

T0 SHARRER PATENT TOP FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES.

incense;

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 16, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914. Serial No. 742,421.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB M.

, the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tops for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding tops for vehicles, more particularly automobile touring cars.

In vehicles such as an automobile touring car which requires a long extended top and still leave the view unobstructed, a problem arises how to unfold the top without the driver being compelled to leave the vehicle to perform the unfolding operation and requiring assistance from another person.

he principal object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a folding top for Vehicleswhich may readily be unfolded by the driver alone without leaving his seat in the automobile.

A further object is to provide simple means whereby the forward portion of the top may be rigidly supported without producing undue strain upon the bows.

A further object is to rovide a top which may be readily adjusted to a partially unfolded; position.

Still further objects and advantages will more fully appear from the detailed description and the features of novelty in construction and combination of parts will be particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a perspective view illustrating my imposition. F 1g. 2 is an elevation illustrating the construction and mode of connection of the bows. Fig. 3 is an elevation illus'tratingthe arrangement and fastening ofthe bows when the top is in a partially extended position. Fig, illustrates the disposition of the bows when the top is entirely folded. Fig. 5 is adetail View illustrating the construction of one of the bows. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the mode of construction of the links and the forward intermediate bow, with the top in partially unfolded position.

1 11 carrying out my invention, I provide a rear bow extending backward diagonally, an intermediate bow extending upward in substantially vertical position, an auxiliary bow A for holding up the forward bow. When it I pivoted to the intermediate bow and ex- SHAnnnR, a l

tending diagonally therefrom in a forward direction, hin 'ed thereto pivoted to the auxiliary bow. exible suspending element is provided is desired to unfold the top, necessary to grasp the forward push it forward. This causes the various bows to gradually open up until the entire top is unfolded, whereupon the same may be fastened in position in the usual manner.

f it is desired to have the top extend only partly over the vehicle, the forward bow may be turned backward and caused to lie over the rear portion of the top and fastened in this position.

Referring in detail to the rear how 1 extends in an oblique direction rearward and is pivoted in a suitable manner upon the sides of the vehicle. The intermediate bow 2 is the same pivots with the rear bow and exit is merely bow and to drawings, the

tends substantially vertically upward. An.

auxiliary bow 3 is pivoted upon the intermediate bow some distance above the bottom thereof, and has pivoted thereto a pair of links 5 to which is hinged the forward bow 4. These links are pivoted to the auxiliary bow preferably upon brackets 6 extending therefrom at.or, adj acent to the midlength thereof. A .fiexiblesuspension consisting of a cord, wire cable, or chain 7 is connected to each of the links 5 intermediate the ends thereof, extends over a pulley 8 mounted adjacent to the upperend of the how 3, and is fastened to the upper end of the forward how. The hin ed connection between the links 5 and the orward bow 4. includes a finger or lug *9 extending from the links which limits the downward movement of the bow and holds it substantially in horizon talposition when the top is unfolded.

In the folded position illustrated in.Fig. 4-, the intermediate bow lies fiat upon the rear bow and the auxiliary bow is fiat against the intermediate how. The links 5 are turned down, thus placing the forward how 4, in a lowered position to lie snugly ov rthese links and the other bows.

gVhen it is desired'to unfold the top, the arch 10 of the. forward bow turnednp and forward. of the forward motion,

4 is grasped and At the beginning the intermediate and pivoted preferably, upon and a front bow having linksauxiliary bows are moved as a unit until the covering is stretched between the intermediate and rear bows, whereupon the latter is also moved until the rear portion of the top is unfolded.- Still further movement causes the auxiliary bow to unfold and also straightens out the links until the covering is stretched tight over the entire top and the forward bow and links being then held by the flexible suspension 7 connected to the intermediate bow. To fasten thev top in this unfolded position, the usual straps 11 may be provided to connect with a suitable hook upon the forward portion of the vehicle.

Very often it is desirable to unfold the top only partially, as for instance on a very calm day, when it is desired to get more breeze.

For this purpose, I have formed the links 5 of a length at least equal to the distance between their point of connection with the auxiliary bow, to the top of the latter. Thus the forward bow.may be swung backward over the intermediate portion of the topand fastened in place preferably by the same straps which are used to fasten the same to the forward part of the vehicle. For thus fastening the top, rings 12 may be provided at the arch of the rear how. To prevent the entire top from folding back when this intermediate adjustment is made, I provide means for fastening the auxiliary bow to the vehicle, thus holding the entire top firmly in the intermediate adjustment. This latter fastening inay consist of a strap 13 provided with a hook which may engage an eye 14 of the pivot pin 15 upon which the links 5 are pivoted to the auxiliary bow 3. The other end of the strap may beihooked into an eye 15; situated at a convenient point on the side of the vehicle.

To niake the top light and thus readily adjustable, I preferably form the bows of metal tubing and the arches may conveniently be formed of wooden rods bent into the proper shape and suitably fastened to the tubing. In Fig. 5 is illustrated a fragmentof a bow showing the wooden arch 17 fastened to the upper ends of the tubes 2 and 2 of the intermediate bow. This construction may be also used for the other bows forming. the framework of the top.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a folding top for vehicles which is readily adjusted by the driver within the vehicle from a completely folded position to a completely unfolded position and fastened in the latter position. The movement in unfolding is such as to unfold the bows one by one by a substantially forward movement of the forward bow within convenient reach of the driver. This gradual unfolding renders the manipulation easy, and the mode of connection of the fpgward bow by the flexible suspension further reduces the laboriousness of the unfolding operation- When it is desired, the top may readily be adjusted to an intermediate position so as to cover only the rear otlthe vehicle. The top may be fastened in-this position to be as ri id as the adjustment thereof in entirely un olded position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new:

1. A folding top for vehicles comprising a rear how, an intermediate bow, an auxiliary bow pivoted to the intermediate bow,- links pivoted to the auxiliary bow, a forward bow hinged to said links and held from downward movement relative thereto, a flexible suspending device fastened to the top of the intermediate bow and to an intermediate point in the length of the links,

said flexible device also passing over a projection upon the auxiliary bow.

2. A folding top for vehicles comprising a rear bow, an intermediate bow, an auxil-. iary bow pivoted to the intermediate bow, links pivoted to the auxiliary how, a forward bow hinged to said links and held from downward movement relative thereto, a flexible suspending device fastened to the top of the intermediate bow and to an intermediate point in the length of the links, and a pulley attached to the auxiliary bow, said flexible suspending device passing over said pulley.

3.. A folding top for vehicles, comprising a rear bow, an intermediate how, an auxiliary bow pivoted to the intermediate bow, links pivoted to the auxiliary bow, said links being adapted to be turned upward and having a length at least equal to the distance between their point of connection with the auxiliary bow to the top of the latter, and a forward bow pivoted to'the outer end of the links whereby the forward bow may be folded backward over the auxiliary and in-' termediate bows and fastened so as to form an intermediate adjustment for the top.

4-. A folding top for vehicles, comprising a rear bow, in intermediate bow, an auxiliary bow pivoted to the intermediate bow, links pivoted to the auxiliary bow, said links being adapted to be turned upward and having a length at least equal to the distance between their point of connection with the auxiliary bow to the top of the latter, a forward bow pivoted to the outer ends of the links, fastening means located at the for- Ward, end of the vehicle to which the forward .bow may, be fastened, and fastening means located at the top of therear bow for fastening the forward bow for the inter mediate adjustment of the folding top.

5. A folding top for vehicles, comprising a rearow, an intermediate bow, an auxiliary bow pivoted to the intermediate bow, links pivoted to the auxiliary bow, said links being adapted to be turned upward and hav ing a length at least equal to the distance between their point of connection with the i Signed at New York city, in the county auxiliary bow to the top of the latter, a fori of New York, and State of New York, this ward bow pivoted to the outer ends of the 11th day of January A. D. 1913. links, an eye pin forming a pivot for the JACOB M. SHARRER.

5 links to the auxiliary bow, and means en- Witnesses:

gaging the eye pin for fastening and holding FRAN K M. ASHLEY, the top in intermediate adjustment. GEORGE Ismm, TUNELL.

. Coplel of this patent mly be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pateam Washington, D. 0." 

